In The Light
by JJ'sWickedMistress
Summary: After an encounter with an enemy, Raven is left weak and depressed. She knows what she has to do, but it is wrong. How can she remain a hero? I have raised the rating to T, just to be sure.
1. The Words You Said

**Prologue:**

**The Words You Said**

Why can't I get you out of my head? All you said was "_You, You Raven are to be my bride. I will use force if necessary. Whatever may happen you will still be mine." _I look at the clock, it's glaring green numbers read 4:01 a.m. I'm dead tired, but the thought of you doesn't let me sleep. I want to go out and find Starfire, but she's not a good morning person. So I stare at my ceiling in agony, awaiting sleep. Ten minutes later, it still does not arrive. My nightlight flickers on and off, it's annoying. Ordinarily, I love the darkness. It was the place where my thoughts were concealed, secrets kept, prayers said, identities not seen, but ever since you came to me that night I couldn't enjoy it any longer. I await the rise of the sun through the black storm clouds that are currently surrounding the Titans Tower. 5:21 a.m. and I have a headache. I'm hungry too.

I pull on my black sweatshirt with the blue Slipknot S on it, and pull on my Happy Bunny slippers "You're ugly, and that's sad" graces their sides. I stumble through the long hall way with its cold metal walls and grey carpet into the bathroom. Flipping on the switch, I see how terrible I look. I pull a wash rag from the closet, and wet it soI can wash my face_. "You are to be my bride_" I can see my self in that horrible dress, the vail with the black roses, the scuffed up shoes, everything comes back. Everything from the last time I ran away. I look in the mirror, and all I can see is his navy blue eyes, not my normal purple ones.

I walk downstairs to the kitchen as my stomach grumbles loudly, and pull a box of Cheerios out of the pantry. I'm hopeless at cooking. Azarath Metrion Zinthos! I say and a bowl with cereal, milk and spoon sit in front of me.Using my powers to pour cereal is usually not something I would do, but I fear if I try to do it my self I'll make a mess. After breakfast, I search out a bottle of Motrin and take two, getting a glass of orange juice to help it go down. Posted on the fridge is a list of errands needing to be done.

To Do

1. Go to Target: paper towels, Motrin, notebook paper, double A batteries.

2. Smith's: bread, milk, eggs, tofu (**he, he**).

3. Clean the windows

4. Put gas in the car

Well, might as well get started, I say, running up stairs to put on jeans and my navy blue combat boots. I take the list, and then a post-it note, and write- Titans- I've gone out to shop. Be back later- Raven. I unlock the car and get in, feeling the chill coming up from the upholstery. I slip in a Rammstein CD and skip to track 6. Anything to get my mind off of the words you said.

**

* * *

Well there you go, short but sweet. I hope you enjoyed it, I think this is my favourite story I'm working on, which makes me more likely to update. R&R. NO FLAMES! Chapters will get way longer, but I'm really tired right now so ya. Give me a break I'm new at this... And by the way, who can guess who Raven is talking about, come on, it's easy...- JJ'sWickedMistress a.k.a Mistress Amity.**


	2. Just Give Me The Phone!

**This is Chapter 1, now up! Sorry about the spacing in last one, I agree it's really hard to read. Anyway, hope this is better.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Just Give Me The Phone!**

(Starfire's POV)

"But I do not understand. Raven never wants to do the shopping." I look up at my friends, but they look as lost as I. "There's something wrong here. Something happened to Raven that she's not telling us." says Robin. "Should we go after her?"

"Just wait until she comes back."

"Cyborg is right. She wouldn' t like us cutting in on her space." I try to think of how it would be best to handle this. I would have to think of something, it could not be too much longer before Raven returned.

* * *

(Raven's POV) 

As I walk down the nearly empty aisles of food at Smith's, I think about what all my friends must be thinking about now. Probably they're wondering why in Hell I would do the shopping. They're probably thinking something's wrong with me, and there is, but I'm not going to admit it.

I slap myself, that would be a foolish thing to do. I mean, I was going to talk to Star anyway, right? Ever since that switching bodies thing happened we've been pretty close, almost like the sisters we never had, seeing as how I'm an only child and her sister is always in jail. It's different with the guys, though, but hey, I'm safe now, right? I escaped, that's good enough, is it not? Far from it. We were never safe away from our old enemy, we never would be. He worked for my evil father, I'd seen him since the dark magic created me. As a young child I was in constant torment from him, he would sneek up on me when I played in the forests. My mother was my only protection, she stayed by me to watch for him. _She stayed by me always, I thought, and that's how she died. She never told me she was going to leave, it just happened, there was nothing I could do._ Since then I've only seen her once. My father was no help, he was just as evil. "Miss, that will be $11.67 please. Miss!"

"Oh, yes sorry. Here you go. Keep the change, I have to go." I ran through the automatic doors with the plastic grocery bags, trying to get away. I could feel his eerie manevolence around me, it made everything seem to be cold and dark. I stopped in the middle of the parking lot, catching my breath. "Hey, move it!" said a man in a huge white Bronco. I didn't look at him, I stepped aside and closed my eyes instead. _It's all a bad dream, it's all a bad dream..._ I open my eyes. The black clouds are more daunting then ever. _"Raven come with me, come back. You are mine, I have the rights to marrige."_ I know who it is speaking to me, he's taking advantage of my mind powers. _"Get Lost! You don't have any rights to me!"_ I speak back.

_"Oh darling, darling Raven, I'm afraid you have no choice, if you want to be the hero. If you don't come with me and join me in marrige than the world will be destroyed, and when there's nothing left you'll be sure it was all your fault."_

_"I am not afraid of you! You may have claimed the life of my mother, but you shall never claim the life of me!"_ He's gone, but truly, he is never really gone at all. He's trying to take over me. I know what he wants, an heir to my Father's rule. One with cunning, beauty, strength, super human powers. But I will never go with him. "You are a fool!" I shout to the sky. I turn around, and everything appears distorted. It's like an old film, colourless, dull, frightening. I unlock the car and get in, pushing the key into the ignition. "Amerika, Amerika!" blares from the radio, but to me, its barely hearable.

Thud. Rain pings off the roof of the car in shades of grey. Thud. He's after me now. Thud. I hit the gas, but the car won't budge. The engine revs up, but it still does not go anywhere. "Come on, come on!" Thud._ What the heck is that noise?_ I mumble curses under my breath, shoving forward with all my weight. Finally, the car moves forward, faster and faster, farther and farther until I'm half way back to the Tower. When at last I arrive, I just pull in quietly and click the head lights off. Grabbing my bags, I run inside, not even bothering to lock the car. I come in a dripping mess, my hair ruined, make- up running. All they see is a pale, frightened girl in an overly huge Slipknot sweatshirt and jeans, soaked to the bone. "Starfire, we need to-" The phone in the living room rings, and Robin gets up to get it. "Talk, yes I know." Star finishes for me. I look back at Robin. He looks puzzled. "Who is it?" I ask. "Robin, I said who is it? If you're not going to answer, then just give me the phone!" Instead, he drops it. He looks at Beast Boy, then to Starfire. "Star, go talk to Raven. When you're done, we have somewhere to go." I start to walk upstairs, and Star follows. "Let's make it quick." I say. There's something now I know I must do. "But Raven, I-"

"Just come with me. This needs to be solved before tomorrow." She looks at me, but does not raise another question. The time is 9:07 a.m.

* * *

**Okay, I hope I did better with the spacing. Thanx to all my wonderful reviewers: gracefulraven, xThe-Unkwnx, and kittyblah (sorry if I misspelled anything) I love getting your reviews so keep 'em coming!- Mistress Amity**


	3. Exit 45

**Hey, sorry I haven't gotten anything posted recently, I've been really busy, so none of my stories have been updated in a month or more... Anyway, moving on, here's the third chapter. Enjoy! I do not own the Teen Titans characters.**

**

* * *

**

**Exit 45**

(Raven's POV)

_I look around me, gaining preview to none other than the smoldering ashes of buildings and homes and cars that used to stand around me. No one's here. But I know who has been. I seat my self on the hood of a grey Miata, not caring that it is broken, or if it would fall under my weight. I needed to think. I hear the thunder above me, but it seems far away. Rain drizzles around my, soaking my outfit and sliding in icy drips down my neck, but I couldn't care less. The rain makes the burnt asphalt of the main road hiss, an oddly comforting sound for me. I look up at the blood red sky, black clouds in deep, beautiful contrast to it, quilting it in an eerie pattern of shadows. I have no sense of time. But I can easily sense His prescence- the presence of he who plagues me. "Go away. Just- Just leave... you'll never take me alive..."_

_I shiver, laying myself on the warm hood of the car, trying not to listen to the voice in my head. Behind me I hear only radio static as the car's radio lands on a station. It takes me a moment to realize something's wrong about that. It lands on the local new music station, belting out a song I dont recognize. I slide off the car onto the ground, and try to stand, but my legs slide and shake. By the time I get up, I find everything is dizzying and blurry, and I can't walk a straight line. _He's using his power to make me drunk enough to follow him to wherever he needs me. I can't let him. _I start rambling outloud, not caring that no one's listening, or how I look. I just need to get out of here. I walk into a rusty pole, looking up to see the faded green of a directional road sign. Ahead lies a chocolate brown sign, saying in white letters "Rest Stop, 1 mile, Exit 45" Where in Hell am I? I figure that if I keep walking I'll eventually end up at that exit, then I can try to seek shelter in a rest area. It would have to do as a plan for now._

_Halfway down the road, I still don't see any cars. It is just too strange, but since I have no clue where I am, maybe no one comes down here. I cant tell. I'm strangely numb, oblivious, removed from everything. I finally reach the rest stop, and I look at my self in the window of the InfoCenter. My eyes are vacant, my messy hair blows around, whipping my face, sticking to my cheeks. Looking into the window, I dont see anyone who can help me, nothing's there but an empty desk and a few faded, dusty pamphlets greeting me through the grimey window. "Well then if I can't take you alive I'll just have to take you dead..." It's eerie, the reply coming in from very near, after all these hours. He wanted me to come here. I looked around me, seeing nothing butworn benches and the grey sillouttes of pine trees beyond them. "I have to get out of here" I say to myself outloud, and start running. One of the shadows seems to break off, and I know it was a mistake to start running in the first place. I try to bring myself to fly, but I am grounded. "What do you want from me?" I cry. There's no answer, just a sigh from within the shadow of the InfoCenter. "Hello?"_

_"Raven, my dear, how nice of you to come to me... I've been expecting you..."_

_"No, no, no, no, NO! I will never come with you!" I watch as the tall man with the half golden mask steps before me, eyeing me, not at all afraid tograb me and take me away. I have no defenses, he's rendered me weak and my powers are useless. He could take me at any time. "I thought for once you were gone, Slade, that you would just leave me alone! Why must you always bother me! What out of me do you seek?" I take a deep breath, arranging my next words, but it amounts to nothing. He grabs me, shoving me inside of a white Bronco from the parking lot. I can't speak, he's muted me. I feel paralyzed, there's nothing that will stop him now. Where is everyone?Breaking my thoughts, Slade speaks. "This is the world" he begins, gesturing out the window with a wave of his hand "if you don't do as I say." I'm too exausted to care. I stare wide eyed at the upholstered grey roof of the car, the blood stains on it making me worried and nausceous. I clench my eyes shut, not being able to bare it. How many have died in this car? I hear the ignition start, the vehicle starting to shake as it went along the uneven road. Where are we going? I think to myself. Having read my thoughts, Slade answers. "Home. To our wedding. It is tomorrow, you know." I feel the wrench of my gut, nagging on the back of my mind that I need to escape._

_Start counting your blessings, Slade. You'll never take me. This time, there is no reply. I fade into a deep sleep, once again removed from the world. Is this real, or is it only a dream? Only time can tell me that..._

_

* * *

_

(Starfire's POV)

I sit in a waiting room, eyeing the senseless people around me, looking down at the old magazines beside me on the coffee table. Trying to keep myself occupied, I pull an old edition of _Rolling Stone _into my lap, looking up only to see the newscaster talking on the muted television set and the barely readable wall clock. I've been sitting here for an hour and 45 minutes already. No one's come to tell me how Raven is doing. It is hard to explain,we were in her room, talking, and all the sudden, her eyes went blank, she stared out past me. I was trying to continue talking to her, when - all of a sudden - she fell backwards, hitting her head on a metal bed post. The gash was huge, it wouldn't stop bleeding. We called 911 and they came and took her, sending her straight into the ER. "It, it is all my fault." I say out loud, getting up to get a drink from the water fountain by the restrooms behind me. An elderly couple eye me cautiously, but say nothing.

The water tastes bad, metallic. I let it fill my mouth, then swallow, trying to taste nothing. I take my seat on the threadbare seats, reopening the magazine. I read an article on My Chemical Romance, pushing the bare coldness of the room and Raven out of my mind for a while.

Minutes later, a young, blue-eyed doctor walks out from Raven's room. "She is ready to be visited now, but be very quite, I don't think she's quite awake. If you want to come anyway, I know this has been a bad experience for you."

"No, I shall come, she might want my company." I stand up, pulling my blue Air Force sweatshirt around me tighter. I stand outside the door, taking a shakey breath, then enter. What I see is disturbing, but it does not suprize me... "Hey Raven."...

* * *

**That's all I have for you guys right now, remember, let me know what you think. I should be able to get the next chapter up soon, since I know where I'm going with this now. Thank you to last chapter's reviewers: So Insecure, kidsnextdoor112 (we see you were right about the Slade part, Yay! (high five), and last but not least, VampireSelene. I'm loving the reviews you guys, keep sending them!- Mistress Amity**


	4. Missing

**Hey, I'm really sorry for the wait! I hope you guys don't hate me, I've just been really busy and I haven't had any time to write... Anyway, let the story continue! **

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 3**

**Missing**

As Starfire walked into Raven's hospital room, she tried not to cringe. Raven looked terrible.Already there was blood on her white hospital gown, streaming from open wounds. Tubes and wires were connected to Raven everywhere, though Star knew they were keeping her alive. Her arm was bent at an unnatural angle, her face a mangle of scrapes and bruises, some stitched up across her cheek bones. Raven's skin was paler then usually, suprizingly. Star wanted to turn away, but she couldn't. This was her friend. Raven needed her.

"Starfire, you came to see me." Raven said in a raspy voice no louder than a soft whisper. Raven tried to lift her head, though Star noticed it was difficult for her. "It is alright Raven, just lay back. Of course I came to see you. Why would I not?"

"I don't know, I just didn't think anyone cared that much. How are you? Where's Slade?"

"I am not certain. The rest of the team is alright I suppose, though we are afraid Slade could come back at any moment.How do we stop him Raven?" Starfire waited as her friend summoned the strength to speak the words Starfire didn't want to hear.

"He can't be stopped."

Starfire looked down at the pink linoleoum flooring of the room as the words hit her ears. There was nothing to do but listen and feel helpless now.

* * *

(Midnight) 

_I lay almost motionless on themetal bed, trying to find the strength to lift myself out and run away from the hospital. I hate this place, so cold and strange and ugly. Azarath Metrion Zinthos! I say and thelights flicker off. Of course the nurse will soon be in, worried that something is wrong with the lights, or something of that sort, but I can't stand it anymore. I'd rather wait in darkness for my fate. There are doctors everywhere outside, but they have left me for the moment. No real reason for them to be here. They cannot stop Slade, no one can. I close my eyes and try to meditate in theakward, uncomfortable position they have layed me down in. How I'd love to be out of this place. At the moment, even the thought of being kidnapped by Slade is better than this._

_As I close my eyes I can feel a presence- most likely Slade. I don't care what he wants with me now. What's done is done, I can't change the course of fate no matter how strong I seem. Slade can take me. This battle is useless. I am glad my friends can't hear me now, I'm not sure they could stand it. They don't like to give up, though I'm certain they've all given up on something. It is fine if they let that something be me, they've tried too hard to save me before. I'll save myself this time._

_I hear doors clinking outside, the locks of file drawers latching up. Every noise bothers me. I pull a blanket farther over me, trying to cover up my skimply dressed body, not as if it matters. I'm sure Slade has done something horrible to get mehere. I'm glad I have no memory of that, I blacked out as his fists landed upon me. It's all part of his plan. He'll marry me so I have to stay with him in his version of 'hell'. Once I can't be saved, he'll kill me so I can't help the good in this world. I close my eyes as I think of this. I've tried so hard to fight evil and now I will become it. If he doesn't kill me he'll make me the most evil being in the world, possibly more sinister than the Devil himself. What the hell, let him. I might as well be what I am._

_No. If I could I would hit myself for thinking of this. This is no more than a dream. This is an illusion of your fears. If I fight him maybe I'll wake up and Slade will finally be gone forever more. Suddenly, I get a plan, though I stop thinking, as not to have Slade hear my thoughts. _

_I feel Slade's presence, though it brings forth no emotion from me. A wicked smile plays across my lips, I can't help it. I feel him walk in. No sound. He walks towards me, growing ever closer. It is only seconds before I feel his icy breath on my skin, just as I have felt it so many times before. I don't say a word.  
"Hello dear Raven."_

_I press my lips together in a thin line, directing my gaze only to the ceiling. I hate you Slade. He is not all hurt by this thought. A searing pain runs through my body as I lay, trying not to make a sound. All I can see is the faint outline of Slade's body, though I know he is staring at me. I clench the corner of the itchy, cotton bed sheets, taking my focus off of Slade and the pain._

_I feel Slade pick up one of my delicate white arms, tracing a grungy, black-gloved finger over my cuts. I shiver, tasting blood in my mouth, though at this point I am not sure whether it is real or imagined. "So Raven, how about we get a start on that wedding we have planned? Remember what we discussed?" _

_I remain silent. Without warning, Slade yanks me out of my hospital bed by my arm, and I feel the cords rip out of my arms. I do not scream, which suprizes me. I become completely numb, in fact, to the world around me. _

_I hear the machines in the background go haywire, though above all I can hear just one single 'beep' from the heart monitor. Still, no one comes in the room._

_Slade drags me out of the room, the large wooden door latching quite loudly behind us. We are but shadows. It is as if the whole world has stopped and turned to grayscale. I walk past the slowly moving people, marvelling at how I have become invisible to them._

_

* * *

_

_Slade puts me quietly into a car in the parking lot. I find myself staring at the ceiling. This time the blood does not in the least affect me. I lay down in the back seat, leaning part of my head against the cool, frosty window,taking breaths of fresh twilight air. It fills me with a raw sense of energy, as if it can pump blood into my very veins. I hear Slade get in and turn the key in the ignition. It takes several moments before the car starts, old air conditioners coated in dust blowing on me, freezing me to the bone._

_Not long before we get there, not long at all. I stare at dark streets and street lights up above me, not caring if Slade is talking to me. He turns on a radio, bringing in a staticky rock station. When it does not clear into any real music, he shuts it off, driving on in silence._

_A while later, I decide it is time to speak the words I don't think Slade expects to hear after all my cooperation. I take a deep breath of smoky air, and speak out. "_I don't belong to you!"Slade turns half around, and I smile. Those seem like the only real words anyone has said in a long time.

* * *

**Well, I hope that was an okay chapter. I'll try to get the next one up real soon, I know that's what I said last time but school is over in a little over a month, so I will have more time soon. Thanx to all my reviewers this time: Karusu-hime, kidsnextdoor112, VampireSelene, and gracefulraven. Please keep reviewing!**

**-Mistress Amity**


End file.
